CURRY AND SPICE: BIRYANI FLAVOURED FULKOPIR DALNA O CHICKEN RICE BOWL

I am supremely excited about going for the pedicure & manicure session this afternoon; after quite a few months; they badly require to be pampered. I am in a hurry, yet I wish to share this non-vegetarian rice & meat dish with biryani flavours; BIRYANI FLAVOURED FULKOPIR DALNA O CHICKEN RICE BOWL with my readers! I know these body pampering stuffs are excesses in life but I need them at good intervals. I feel so lazy going through the process at home.

I am never stopped from doing what I want, I dislike interference & coercion in my life! I manage everything within the stipulated amount given to me every month and save a bit too. Yes, I do not work is true but I take good care of my home.

Who take excellent care of their homes? I see one staying in Canada, perhaps is working and maintaining a fabulous home together at a time; I see one in Malaysia whose home & garden I so like, who might be working part time; I know excellent homemakers in Thailand, in an India's neighbourhood country. They inspire me but I do little; I always had a lethargic body & mind. I only love sitting in a quiet corner and brood, dream, think. These days, I enjoy getting this seed and that root end from the roadside and try my hands on them. Please wish my okra / bhindi / dhyarosh / ladysfinger plant some luck!

I so wished to shift to a ground floor flat here this season; they come with a bigger balcony, at times with one at the backside too. I would have planted so many more. I am sad all the nurseries got scattered, there were six side by side and just a station after; so convenient. Besides doing some gardening as approves my tiny space; cooking is my all time love. Both these interests have been inherited from my family off course. I may be lazy but I will not take the last breathe either watching television or sleeping all day. I will engage myself in activities that does not require much of sweating.

Life got very much mundane, I miss the normal rhythm my life was used to but I will not give in. I will engage myself in what I enjoy. Last Friday evening, it was a bowl of non vegetarian chicken+rice+potato+cauliflower dish for us. Actually, I cooked our very Bengali Aloo-Fulkopir Dalna with the Taiwan variety of cauliflower in bulk last week. We had it with chapati, we had it with rice and then I got bored with another bowl. Some makeover was required!

I not only love food but also want to serve my own or guests a variety of food. For a makeover, I had got some chicken, soaked some basmati rice, chopped the required ingredients, took down the bottle of me made flavoured spice mixture; SHUGANDHI MOSHOLA MIX; and there you are! You will regret if you do not try my recipe of BIRYANI FLAVOURED FULKOPIR DALNA O CHICKEN RICE BOWL; that is a dish cooked with mixed spices, clarified butter, chicken, basmati rice, leftover cauliflower-potato curry, etc.

INGREDIENTS :

BASMATI RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG

CHICKEN : 6-8 PIECE [BIG CUT]

LEFTOVER CAULIFLOWER-POTATO CURRY : A BOWLFUL

PLAIN YOGURT : 6 TBSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TBSP

CUMIN POWDER : 2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 2 TSP

SHUGANDHI MOSHOLA MIX : 1 TBSP [A HOMEMADE AROMATIC SPICE MIX]

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

SLICED ONION : 2 SMALL TEA CUP FULL [OF TWO BIG ONES]

MINT LEAF : A HANDFUL

CORIANDER LEAF : A HANDFUL

GREEN CHILLI : 5-6

GINGER PASTE : 1 TBSP

GARLIC PASTE : 1 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP SIZE

CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 TWO INCH SIZED

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

BLACK CARDAMOM : 1

STAR ANISE : 1

CLOVE : 3-4

MACE : 2

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

MILK POWDER : 1 TBSP

BAYLEAF : 2-3

SALT : AS REQUIRED

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 1/3 SMALL TEA CUP + 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Let us wash the chicken pieces at first. I took a mix of legs, thighs and breasts.

I had beaten together the powders of turmeric+ cumin+coriander+red chilli +SHUGANDHI MOSHOLA MIX, plain yogurt, salt, lemon juice taken in a bowl.

I marinated the chicken with it.

We had marinated the chicken at least for 3 to 4 hours or little more.

For the rice, we washed the basmati rice in required amount and soaked in water for 1/2 an hour. we tied the cinnamon sticks+green & black cardamom+mace+cloves+star anise in a piece of white, cotton, clean cloth.

We had thrown it and some salt to a pot of boiling water.

When the water has boiled for sometime, we added the soaked rice, discarding the water.

Once the rice had cooked 70%, we strained it.

While the rice was getting rid of moisture, we got readied the ginger & garlic pastes, washed & sliced onion+chopped coriander+mint leaves+slitted green chillies.

We had heated 1/3 tea cup ghee in a pot and added the bayleaves, onions to it.

When the sliced onions are brown, we took out some to garnish later. To the rest, we added the ginger & garlic pastes.

We stir cooked for 3-4 minutes and added the marinated chicken to the pot and folded in well.

We covered it with a lid having no holes. We had put the heat to minimal. In between, we opened the cover and gave a stir.

We had warmed our leftover "aloo-fulkopir dalna" too.

After 15-20 minutes, we had opened the cover and added some crushed black pepper.

We gave a stir and added most of the the washed green chillies+ fresh coriander+fresh mint. We are to add the cauliflower & potato curry at this stage but I forgot. Please, you need not be so forgetful.

We gave a stir and added the rest of the fresh mint+coriander & ghee, milk powder, kewra / screw pine water. I added the "aloo fulkopir dalna" at this stage.